Phantom View

by John Wiswell

A disabled son care-taking for a disabled father tries to understand the mysterious blur haunting them.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Short Stories, Fantasy, Fiction, Contemporary

33 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 22, 2025

About the author

John Wiswell is a disabled author who lives where New York keeps all its trees. He won the Nebula Award for Best Novel and the Locus Award for Best Debut Novel for Someone You Can Build A Nest In, and the Nebula Award for Best Short Story for Open House on Haunted Hill, and the Locus Award for Best Novelette for That Story Isn't The Story. His fiction has been translated into over fifteen languages.

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Phantom View by John Wiswell.

Yeah…I didn’t get that at ALL.

2, too weird for me to follow I like to be given SOMEthing to work with, stars.

[Radwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so along the ride: a son discovering a presence/ghost haunting his and father's home and seemingly has appeared in all of his father's drawings? It could have gone so many places, but I'm not sure I even got or like that ending.

[Nicole (bookwyrm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very sweet short story that is half a paranormal creature feature and half a journey of self-discovery. It's short (and while there is a version available to buy on Kindle, it is also free to read on Reactor) so I don't want to get into much detail, but this story has the feel-good vibes of Wiswell's "Open House on Haunted Hill" while telling a completely different story.

[Rereader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This hit a lot harder than I was expecting. For such a short, simple story it had a lot of emotional weight and a powerful message behind it. This is a quick read, but a powerful one, I highly recommend it.

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

28 Reads in 28 Days : 9/28

this was lovely, liminal, sad. a friend just shepherded their mom through her passing, and this reminded me of them a bit. i liked that we didn't get any answers about what or who the blur was, only its effect on our protagonist.

read it for free here : https://reactormag.com/phantom-view-j...

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

This is a practically perfect short story. I loved it, and the compassion of the main character. I could only hope to be so good.

[Arimi Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's that time of year where we start reading free books on the internet. This story is available at the author and publishers approval on Reactor, and you can read it here: https://reactormag.com/phantom-view-j...

Final Verdict:
This was a bizarre read. I also was not expecting an Elden Ring reference in any story any time soon. Despite it being released for several years now. Phantom View follows a guy who is taking care of his fading father, whilst also battling a cruel insurance company. During this struggle, he discovers what appears to be a ghost, only it's not a ghost.

The story is very simple and easy to follow, whilst also being comedic, and dark at the same time. I would love to know more about the characters of this book- the fathers life as an artist, the ghost a.k.a blur and how they came to be, as well was what their life was like before they became blur, and what the main characters life was like before their father got ill. I think Phantom view was a very sad story, which encompasses the daily struggle of watching the ones you love grow old, fade and that internal journey and struggle- the grief, the loss, all whilst you love, and try to maintain that connection with the one you love.

[Kam Yung Soh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A man is taking care of his ailing father. While scrolling through photos of his father, he suddenly notices parts of a phantom chin appearing in them. On a closer examination, he discovers the phantom also appears in his father's painting.

After some experiments, he discovers a way to find and 'feel' the phantom. A crisis occurs that make him ask the phantom for help with his father while he goes to settle insurance matters. In return, he finds a way to 'free' the phantom from his father. Sometime later, after the father's death, the phantom seeks out the son, now alone. Through hints and motions, he nudges the son in ways to make him consider living a life without his father.

[Marco · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read and loved many of the previous fiction work by this author, and I could not wait to read this one too.
This is the story of a disabled son care-taking for a disabled father. He tries to understand the mysterious blur haunting them.... and I will not say more to avoid spoilers.
As always Wiswell does not disappoint: the story is original and interesting, but the characters are the real treat. Very interesting, relatable, and surprisingly complex for the length of the story.
I recommend this short story to everyone.

[Thia Reads A Lot]

2.0*

The disable adult child (problem with their knee?) is taking care of their father (needs oxygen, maybe something else). They notice there is a blur in pictures and in their father's paintings. Makes a bargain with the blur, to watch over their father while they deal with insurance crap. The blur becomes a second helper until the protagonist gives them a phone. The blur leaves, travels the world, while the father declines and dies.

- I don't get the message of this story.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a poignant short story about longing, loneliness, and filial obligations, with quick, tense prose and an ending like a warm, slightly sweaty hug. When a phantom force makes itself known to the narrator, he is able to find comfort and a new connection with his father despite his initial envy and misgivings.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one started out really spooky, and I kind of wish it had stayed in that lane, but it took a detour into a different kind of story, and while that was ok, it didn't really do it for me as much. As someone with chronic pain myself I appreciated the description of disability in this story.

[Per · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://reactormag.com/phantom-view-j...

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very engaging story.

[Zuza · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[g · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good little novelette about the weight of duty and the dualIty of grief and freedom afterwards

[umainthewild · Rating 3 out of 5]

The potential was there but it sort of fell flat.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

(2.5)

[Zahra☽☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if the ghost haunting you was an iPad kid, what then?!

[Shyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done, with a strong start and closing.

[Silvana · Rating 2 out of 5]

At this point and having read quite a few of his works, I believe John Wiswell is overrated. As usual, his premise is always interesting, but the last parts just did not work for me.

[Kes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting idea: disabled son discovers a ghost.

But it goes nowhere. I can tell it’s supposed to be about self discovery and grief and moving on - but it doesn’t resonate.

[Bookfairy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story left me wanting to know more, but I think that may have been part of the point.

reactormag.com/phantom-view-john-wiswell